Tata gives the Tigers a lift with a 5-2 win over Oakland

AP PhotoJordan Tata get smeared in the face by Todd Jones after winning his first big league start Monday.

OAKLAND, Calif. - There's one trade that worked.

Worked out just fine, and it didn't cost the Detroit Tigers a thing. They swapped an injured Kenny Rogers for a healthy Jordan Tata, then sat back and watched Tata give them the seven-inning lift they needed in a 5-2 Monday night win over Oakland.

A four-game losing streak didn't extend to five, and a three-game streak of allowing double-digit runs never threatened to become a four-gamer.

Tata not only became a winner in his first big-league start, but he became the first Tiger starter to win a game since Andrew Miller beat Minnesota back on July 18.

Not bad, if Rogers does say so himself.

``I gave them a better pitcher,'' he said. ``I know when to get out of the way for a better guy.''

Rogers is a big part of this story, and not just because his sore left elbow forced him to get out of the way. He was also the guy who greeted Tata in the Tiger clubhouse Monday afternoon, the guy who told Tata that Oakland's Coliseum is a pretty nice place to pitch.

Easy for Rogers to say. He has a 25-4 career record in Oakland, 23-1 since the start of 1995.

``If I can get them out with my stuff, then you can get them out with yours,'' Rogers told Tata.

And he did.

The A's aren't the best hitting team in baseball -- in fact, they're one of the worst -- but Tata allowed them just six hits in seven innings. He couldn't hold an early 1-0 lead, but when the Tigers went back on top with two runs in the sixth, Tata pitched two more innings and didn't allow another hit.

``Whether I stay up here or not, I can sleep easy now,'' said the 25-year-old Tata, who made eight relief appearances for the Tigers last year, but was almost never used in a close game.

He will stay up here, at least long enough to start Sunday at Comerica Park against Chicago. Whether he stays longer depends mostly on how quickly Rogers recovers from his left elbow soreness.

No matter what happens, Tata has already played an important part in this Tiger season, picking the team up when the Tigers most needed it.

``He really gave us a big boost,'' manager Jim Leyland said. ``He did a heck of a job.''

So did Placido Polanco, of course. Polanco always hits the A's, as he proved again with a 3-for-5 night that included a hit-and-run single that ended up tying the game in the sixth.

He's 36-for-72 against Oakland in his career, an even .500. He's even better (45-for-89, .506) if you include last year's playoff series, when he was named the most valuable player.

Not only that, but he's nearly a .500 hitter (23-for-48, .479) at the Coliseum.

But Rogers said this is a great place to pitch? Can it be a great place to hit, too?